Rally to Restore the Fourth (Amendment) to be held July 4th, 9am at Trade and Tryon.

Restore the Fourth is a grassroots, non-partisan, non-violent movement that seeks to organize and assemble almost 100 protests nationwide on July 4th, 2013. Restore the Fourth Charlotte is a coalition of with a broad political background who demand that the government of the United States of America adhere to its constitutionally dictated limits and respect the Fourth Amendment. We seek to raise public awareness of the unconstitutional surveillance methods employed by the U.S. government.

Restore the Fourth maintains that justification of the Fourth Amendment beyond the original text need not be given; the legitimacy of which is self-evident. “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” The Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights clearly protects all citizens’ assets, both digital and physical, against searches and seizures without warrant. We aim to assert those rights and insist that the proper channels of government work to ensure that all policy complies with the supreme laws of the United States of America in their entirety.

Restore the Fourth requests that American citizens’ right to privacy is respected and stands with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and StopWatching.us on their open letter to Congress. As informed members of the American electorate, they endorse and echo the letter’s demands:

1. Enact reform this Congress to Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the state secrets privilege, and the FISA Amendments Act to make clear that blanket surveillance of the Internet activity and phone records of any person residing in the U.S. is prohibited by law and that violations can be reviewed in adversarial proceedings before a public court;

2. Create a special committee to investigate, report, and reveal to the public the extent of this domestic spying. This committee should create specific recommendations for legal and regulatory reform to end unconstitutional surveillance;

3. Hold accountable those public officials who are found to be responsible for this unconstitutional surveillance.

This movement intends to bring an end to twelve years of Fourth Amendment abuses and to ensure that all future government surveillance is constitutional, limited, and clearly defined. On July 4th at 9:00am, Restore the Fourth Charlotte will rally at the corners of Trade and Tryon to demonstrate the need for a return to the principles of the Constitution. We urge you to join us on the most patriotic of days and to help spread awareness of these violations of our Constitution.

Join clinic member Gabrielle Valentine and administrative law clerk Hannah Davies as they discuss Amendment 782 to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Hannah Davies is law clerk to the Honorable Judge Reidinger of the Western District of North Carolina.